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Patrick Dempsey, a star on ABC-TV's Grey's Anatomy, and Brian Johnson, lead singer for rock band AC/DC, compare notes at Daytona International Speedway. Photo by Brian Cleary

Patrick Dempsey and Brian Johnson are bringing a some star power and a little heavy-metal thunder to the Rolex 24 at Daytona this month.

Dempsey, owner of Dempsey Racing and a star of ABC's Grey's Anatomy, and Johnson, lead singer for rock band AC/DC, were on the track as part of the three-day Roar Before the Rolex 24 test session held Jan. 6-8 at Daytona International Speedway.

Dempsey, driving in the GT class, is teamed with Charles Espenlaub, Joe Foster and Tom Long in the Visit Florida Mazda RX-8 entry. Dempsey led 28 laps of last year's Rolex 24 and helped his team to a third-place finish in GT.

Johnson, who resides in Sarasota, Fla., is teaming with Byron Defoor, Elliott Forbes-Robson, Jim Pace and Carlos de Quesada to drive the BMW-Riley for the 50+Racing Predator/Alegra in the Daytona Prototype class.

“Saturday night was my first time ever driving at night,” Johnson said. “Man, oh, man, what a time. It was like a bunch of animals out there. Guys were everywhere, even driving through the grass. I was thinking, ‘Hey guys, this is only a [expletive] test.'”

The 2012 Grand-Am series kicks off with the 50th anniversary of the Rolex 24, Jan. 28-29.